


Candlelight

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: White Collar
Genre: Advent Challenge 2015, Christmas, Cold, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Power Outage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-10 09:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5580529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal wakes up, cold</p>
            </blockquote>





	Candlelight

**Author's Note:**

> For the advent prompt "Candlelight"

When Neal woke, it took him a few seconds to sort our the reason for it. He was in his apartment at June's, as he should be, and it was dark, which meant that it was still night time. So why was he awake?

Thinking that his cell phone might have buzzed, Neal thrust one hand out from beneath his comforter, searching for it. The cold his his arm like a knife, and he quickly yanked his hand back.

_Why was it so cold out?_

Now that he knew what had woken him, Neal couldn't escape the clutch of the cold. It felt like his blankets were dissolving around him.

He glanced along the wall, but every window was intact and closed lightly. Neal listened carefully, and soon realized that he couldn't hear the familiar hum of the mansion's heater. A quick glance towards his kitchen showed the microwave dark as well: probably a power outage.

With June vacationing in Europe and the staff on holiday, Neal was the only one in the house. The now very dark and cold house.

Neal finally braved the cold long enough to find his phone before diving back under the blankets. Surely there were spare blankets, somewhere, right?

Burrowed in again, Neal quickly flipped open his phone. To his great disappointment, no helpful glow greeted him. Belatedly, he realized that it had been fairly low on battery when he went to bed. Clearly it had died.

Frustrated, Neal reevaluated. It was highly unlikely that Neal was going to freeze to death, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be cold. Neal was a creature of comfort, and he avoided being cold when he could. All he needed was to get warmer.

Spare blankets could help with that, as could an extra pair of sweats and socks. Unfortunately, he didn't have a working fireplace, and even if he did there was nothing to start a fire with.

Actually, that wasn't completely accurate, Neal realized. He had matches, and even candles. Candles didn't put off much heat, granted, but any amount was better than none. Especially if he was going to lose some of his stockpiled warmth by getting out from under the covers.

Decided, Neal steeled himself and whipped off the covers. The cold was a shock, and as much as Neal wanted to pull his blanket back tightly, he forced himself to get up. The first order of business was warmer clothes. Well, _first_ was the flash-light in the bedside drawer, but then warmer clothes.

Once Neal was bundled up in a knit cap, two scarves, gloves, three pairs of socks, a turtleneck, and two pairs of sweat pants, he set out in search of candles. There were several on the coffee table, and Neal remembered a holiday display on the landing that had three tall pillar candles. He pilfered those and a pack of matches from his kitchenette before taking his spoils back to his bed. Next was a trek to the linen closet, where he found several blankets.

Soon Neal had a cozy nest in his bed and several candles lit on the bedside table. The exertion had warmed him up considerably, but he knew that it wouldn't last. Curling up tightly, he willed himself to go back to sleep until it warmed up. While he was at it, he willed the power back on. Opening his eyes to check, Neal saw nothing but flickering candlelight.


End file.
